Phoenix vs Chicago
A side-by-side comparison of Phoenix, Arizona and Chicago, Illinois — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.
| Place |  PhoenixArizona, United States |  ChicagoIllinois, United States |
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
| State / region | Arizona | Illinois |
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Coordinates | 33.572, -112.090 | 41.837, -87.685 |
| Elevation | 331 m | 178 m |
| Timezone | Mountain Time Zone | — |
| Founded | 1868 | — |
| Size | ||
| Population | 1,673,122 | 2,721,326 |
| Land area | 518.3 mi² | 227.7 mi² |
| Water area | 1.0 mi² | 6.8 mi² |
| Density (per mi²) | 3,228 | 11,949 |
| Housing units | 678,852 | 1,282,248 |
| Demographics | ||
| Median age | 35.4 | 35.9 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 46.4% | 36.5% |
| Black or African American | 7.7% | 26.3% |
| Asian | 4.8% | 7.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 42.7% | 30.2% |
| Economy & education | ||
| Median household income | $85,246 | $80,613 |
| Median home value | $454,900 | $341,200 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 35.9% | 46.4% |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 16.6% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 7.3% |
| Climate | ||
| Avg high temp | 87°F | 59°F |
| Avg low temp | 63°F | 45°F |
| Annual precipitation | 12.0 in | 45.7 in |
| Sunshine % of year | 84.0% | 55.0% |
| Annual solar (kWh/m²) | 2,134 | 1,403 |
| Air & environment | ||
| US AQI | 68 | 111 |
| Air quality category | Moderate | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 12.5 | 29.1 |
| PM10 (µg/m³) | 49.7 | 29.5 |
| Ozone (µg/m³) | 99.0 | 126.0 |
| NO₂ (µg/m³) | 2.0 | 4.7 |
| Wildlife species observed | 10 | 10 |
| Wildlife observations | 908,873 | 2,935,043 |
| Risk & hazards | ||
| Earthquakes (last 10y) | 13 | 6 |
| Largest earthquake (mag) | 4.0 | 3.8 |
| Active weather alerts | — | 2 |
| Health | ||
| Obesity | 32.4% | 32.9% |
| Diabetes | 10.8% | 12.4% |
| Smoking | 12.2% | 12.1% |
| Schools | ||
| Schools total | 452 | 711 |
| Elementary schools | 251 | 487 |
| Middle schools | 40 | 35 |
| High schools | 130 | 166 |
| Civic & interest | ||
| Mayor / leader | Kate Gallego | — |
| Official website | https://www.phoenix.gov | — |
| Sister cities | 12 | — |
| Notable people (Wikidata) | 0 | 16 |
| Books about this place | 8 | 8 |
| Wikipedia views (last 30d) | 68,102 | 8,687 |
| Overview | ||
| Summary | Phoenix is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, Phoenix is the fifth-most populous city in the United States and the most populous state capital. The Phoenix metropolitan area, with an estimated 5.19 million residents, is the tenth-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. and the most populous in the Mountain states and Southwest. Phoenix is the county seat of Maricopa County in the Salt River Valley and Arizona Sun Corridor and, with an area of 517.9 square miles, is the largest city by area in Arizona and 11th-largest city by area in the United States. Wikipedia | Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. The Chicago metropolitan area has 9.41 million residents and is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country. Chicago is the county seat of Cook County, the second-most populous county in the U.S. Wikipedia |
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